Knockdown box or crate.



PATENTBD APR. 26, 1904..'

LY 21, 1903. l

l Wm

UNITED STATES :Patented April 2G, 1904.

PATENT OEEic-E.

JOHN F. REUL, OF JUNEAU, WISCONSIN.

KNooKDowN Box on CRATE.

SPECIFICATION arming part of Letters Patent No. 758,105, dated Aprl`26, 1904.

i i Application filed Iuly 21,1903. Serial No. 166,446. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. REUL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Juneau, in the county of Dodge and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Boxes or Crates, of which the following is a specification."

My invention relates to boxes and crates, and particularly to that class of boxes and crates known'in the art as4 knockdown boxes and crates. Y

It has for its object to provide an improved box or crate of this character which may be easily and readily knocked down and packed or'set up, to adapt it when set up to serve as a secure and strong box or crate in which to transport goods, and when knocked down for return to be packed into a compact and secure package. 5

In the drawings, Figure l is a' perspective view of my box or crate set up. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the box or crate knocked -box or crate in place when the box is set up down and packed, lthe cover being partly broken away to show the manner of packing. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a corner of the box. Fig. 4isasectionalviewof the latch. Fig. 5 is a'moditied form of .lock'for the corners of the cover.

Corresponding parts in all 'the igures are denoted by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bottom of the box, *provided at each end and for a short distance along the sides with angular strips 2, one member thereof being secured to the outer surface of the bottom yand the other member extending upwardly and forminga flange 2. The end sections 3'of the box are provided with angular strips 4, one member thereof being secured to the outer surface of the end sections at each end and,

the other member extending inwardly and forming a flange 4, and said strips being so positioned as to leave a space 5 between their flanges 4 and the ends of the end sections, and ears 6 at the lower ends ofsaid strips are pivotedat 7 to thel portions of the strips 2'exgether.

and outer surface will come squarely against the end and side Hanges 2,' respectively, of the bottom. The ends of the side sections8 of the box fit into the spaces between the tween the strips 4 and the outer surface ofv the end sections, and angular clamping-plates 11 on the inner surface engaging plates 1l on the inner surface of the end sections, said plates in conjunction with the strips 4 serving to hold the sides and end sections securely to- The top l5 of the box is also, like the bottom, provided at 'each end and for a short distance along the sides with flanges 16, said flanges in this instance extending downwardlyfand when the cover is placed on the box `fit closely against the flanges on the bottom of the box.

VLatches V18 for securing the cover of the and secured on each corner of the top, and a similar latch 19 is located in the bottom on one edge thereof. Each of theselatches comprises a casing 20, in which a substantially L- shaped locking-bolt 2l is reciprocally mounted :and held at its inner position by a-ooil-spring 22, located on said bolt and bearing against a top and' then released, the recoil of thesprings forcing the endsv 23 of the bolts into the sockets '24 and 22' and locking the cover# When the' box is knocked down and packed, the ends of the latches engage holesi25 iin the end flanges or strips 2 and the socket 22" in the plate 22" andlock the cover to the bottom of the box. For the'purpose'of sealing the box or crate a plate 40, having holes -41' yand 42 therein, is secured to one of the endf'sections of the box, and apiece of wire is run through these holes and ahole 43 in one of the ianges IOC of the cover, and the ends are sealed together in any manner desired.

While the ends of the box have been shown and described as hinged to the bottom and the sides as slid in, I may hinge the sides and slide in the ends, in which case when the box is knocked down the 'ends will be placed on top of the sides or between them.

Referring to the modication, Fig. 5, which is designed tobe substituted for some of the latches in the corners of the cover, 50 designates an angle-plate, one member thereof connected to the outer surface of an end section, and said plate provided with a socket 51 in the corner engaged by a pin 52, secured to the gouter surface of a side section, and a socket 53, engaged by a `pin 54;, projecting from the interiorof corner-pieces 55, whereby the cover and sides are held in place.

It beingassumed thatthebox or crate is knocked down and packed, the operationof setting it up to form the box `or crate is as follows: .All the latches are pulled out and the cover removed, the end sections turned up, the sides slid into the space between the edgesofthe end pieces and their flanges. The cover is then placed on, the fianges fitting over the .end and side sections,and the latches ,pulled out and brought opposite their :respective sockets and released, whereupon they will-be drawn into their sockets by the actionl of the springs thereon and lock the cover in place.

To knock down and pack the box or crate, the bolts are pulled out, the cover removed, the side sections slid out, the end sections turned downl against the bottom, the side sections laid upon said end sections, and thev cover is then placed on the anges of the cover, fitting over the ianges on the bottom, and thebolts brought opposite their sockets and released, whereupon they will be drawn into their. respective sockets by the action ofthe springs thereon and lock the cover in place.

I do not desire to be understoodas limiting myself to the details of construction and arrangement as herein described and illustrated, as,` it is manifest thatyariations and modifications may be made in the features of cons tructiony and arrangement in the adapta-.

tion of the ,device to various conditions of use without departing from the spirit and scope of myv invention and improvements. I therefore reservethe right to all such variation and modication as properly fall within the scope of my invention and the terms of the following claims. x

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire tol secure by Letters Patent- 1. A knockdown box or crate, comprising a bottom having anges on its edges having bolt-sockets, sections hinged to the bottom adjacent opposite edges,guides on the ends thereof having bolt-sockets, the lower edges of said tions adapted when the yfirst-mentioned sections are turned up to be slid into the guides on thel ends thereof, and when said sections are turned down to lie iatly on top thereof, a cover having end i'ianges adapted to fit over the sections when the parts are set up and to fit over the flanges on the bottom when the parts are packed, and reciprocal rotatable spring-pressed bolts on the cover adapted when the parts are set up to engage the bolt-sockets in the guides, and when the parts are packed to engage the bolt-sockets in the flanges on the bottom, substantially as described.

2. A knockdown box or crate, comprising a bottom having flanges on its edges having bolt-sockets, sections hinged to the bottom adjacent opposite edges, guides on the end thereof having bolt-sockets, the lower edges of said sections when turned up adapted to come squarely against the bottom, and the inner surfaces` of said sections` when turned down adapted to come flatly against the bottom, sections adapted when the rst-mentioned sections are turnedup to be slid into the guides on the ends thereof and. when said sections are turned ydown to lie flatly on top thereof, a cover having end anges, adapted to lit over the sectionswhen the parts are set up and to {it over the flanges on the bottom when the parts are packed, stationary bolts on one end of the cover and'reciprocal -rotatable bolts on 'the other end, adapted when the parts are set up to engage the bolt-sockets in the guides and when the parts are packed to engage the bolt-sockets in the flanges on the bottom, substantially as described.

3. A knockdown box or crate, comprising a bottom having flanges on itsedgehaving boltsockets, sections hinged to the bottom adjacent opposite edges and having sockets at each end on opposite sides thereof, guides on the ends of said sections having bolt-sockets, the lower edges of said sections when turned up adapted to come squarely against the bottom, and the inner surfaces of said sections when turned down adapted to come flatly against the bottom; sections having clamping-plates at each end adapted to engage the socketson each end IIO of the first-mentioned sections whenf said sections are slid into the guides thereon, said lastmentioned sections adapted to lie flatly on the rst-mentioned sections when the parts are packed, a cover having end flanges adapted to t over the sections when the parts are set up and to fit over the lianges on the bottom when bottom, substantially as described.

*item5 L A knookdown box or crate, comprising a bottom having flanges on its edge having boltsockets, sections hinged to the bottom adjacent opposite edges and having sockets at each end on oppositel sides thereof, guides on the ends of said sections having bolt-sockets, the lower edges of said sections When turned up adapted to come squarely against the bottom, and the 4inner surfaces of said sections When turned down adapted to come latly against the bottom. sections having clamping-plates at eachY end adapted to engage the sockets on each end of the first-mentioned sections When said sections are slid into the guides thereon, said last-mentioned sections adapted to lie flatly on the first-mentioned sections when the parts are packed, a Cover having end flanges adapted to fit over the sections when the pai-ts are set up and to t overl the anges on the bottom When the parts are packed, stationary bolts' on one end of the cover4 and 'reciprocal rotatable 

